Travel: Bidoh - Penang - Kedah (Part 03/03)

From Penang Bridge, we make a left turning to goto Alor Setar. We wanted to goto the Paddy Museum (Muzium Padi). I have been there for 2 times already. For this time, it is specially for my cousins.

Paddy Museum is located at Gunung Keriang. For your information, they are closed on Friday (Sundays open).

On the way to Gunung Keriang, we saw some farmers are working hard under the hot sun.

above: Gunung Keriang

Nothing much to see in this museum, honestly. People usually come for the giant-size wall mural art drawn by a few Korean. It is a rounded piece of continuous drawing on the building's wall (the building is round in shape)...it is so lively. I do not take any photo of the piece of drawing, as the camera got to pay a ticket too. and i believe you will be able to search the photo form Google.

Another interesting part is we will be standing on a revolving platform at the center of the building to enjoy the piece of drawing.

Travel: Bidor - Penang - Kedah (Part 02/03)

After the meal at Bidor, we continue our journey to Penang. While on the way to Penang, about reaching the Sungai Perak intersection, my car showed the engine is over-heated. Oh My God! Car breakdown at express way is really a hectic. Have no choice to drive slow and make a stop at the Sungai Perak rest stand.

Open the bonet lid, and my dad do an prelimary inspection, seeing my car's radiator fan is not working. Luciky my dad was there with me, without him I will sure go panic. He found the connector's joint was broken and melted a little. He readjust the cabling and tie it securely on the car's frame. Hope everything will be fine till Penang.

Now, I got to drive at a moderate speed and keep an eye on the temperture guage. Everything seem fine after that. We finally reached to Bukit Mertajam, and now we are all hungry again, food hunting time!!

After a short discussion, we are headed to Prai (Perai) for the famous Steamed-Yam Rice with Mixed-Pork Soup. The restaurant is called Kuan Nan, and located at the row of shops beside the Pearl View Hotel. Once you turn in to that junction, it is easily be seen on your LEFT.

It is almost lunch time when we reached there, after making a few turnings, we finally got a parking space. Can't wait to try the Steamed-Yam Rice, and the Mixed Pork Soup.

The rice is so fragrant and soft, and the soup is so tasty. Generally, the soup is cooked with minced-pork meat, slices-pork meat, pork stomach, pork's spare-parts, and the marinated-salty vege.

The fried kuey tiaw (stirred-fried flat-noodles in soy sauce), chicken rice, hokkien noodles (a.k.a. Penang shrimp noodles), ice-kacang (shaved ice with red beans) are also very popular at this restaurant.

One thing that you can notice in almost all Penang's restaurant, the patron will always shouted "Kopi" (Coffee in Malay Language) to order the drinks. This is common in Penang, their style of calling the waiter for ordering drinks. ONLY for Penang, don't use this style in other states in Malaysia... you may ended up with ordering the Coffee. Haha!!

After that wonderful lunch, we drive to the Ferry Jetty to goto Penang Island. Usually I will be more preffered to drive in via the Penang Bridge, but due to all my cousins have not been to Penang, we decided to let them experience the feel of having our car drive on the ferry...just to enjoy the fun :)

We then drive to our resort to do "late" check-in. Everyone was so tired after the long journey, we took rest for a while and head out to Gurney Drive for hawker food. Many people are saying the food in Gurney Drive is lousy and expensive, but what the heck of being there to enjoy the name of "famous"?? Anyway, is a tourists's spot...the place is meant for us!!! Haha!!

For your information, Penang people really don't go there for food. After the dinner meal, we walk a bit along the Gurney Drive before we head back to Resort.

Next day, we went to Kimbeley Street (nearby to Komtar) for our breakfast. The restaurant served a very good Loh-Mee (Thick Gravy Noodles), and Hokkien Noodles (Spicy-shrimp-soup Noodles). Really Supereb!! Penang food are really good and cheap. Much more cheaper than food in Kuala Lumpur.

After the meal, we went to the famous Thailand Temple in Penang and the temple of the famous Reclining Buddha.

above: Coconut Milk Ice Cream

above: Kuan-Yin Buddla @ Kek-Lok-Si Temple

In the evening, before dinner time, we went to the Tropical Fruit Farm located at Batu Ferringhi. We have no idea how far is the distance. After a few minutes drive, we are feeling nervous and wanted to u-turn back as the way was terrified, stiff + narrow + uphill + downhill + sharp turning + curving road...but we have no chance at all to make an u-turn. The entire distance was as long as 9km ++.

At the entrance of the Fuit Farm, we have to drive up hill as stiff as 30+ degree. It was so scary. Just Imagine that we have to use the same way to drive back to our resort. Oh My God!! I keep on praying for every single minute.

Nothing much to see in the tropical fruit farm, just the scenary is somewhat like our Cameron Highlands.

above: Proton Exora also can made it to this farm. Campro Engine, not bad. Malaysia boleh!!

above: see my car at far back?? my engine bonet cover is open...to cool down my engine after the crazy hill road.

We then drive back all the way slowly and goto Teluk Kumbar for our seafood dinner at beach.

On our last day in Penang, we goto do our final shopping before we leave the island to Kedah.

Travel: Bidor - Penang - Kedah (Part 01/03)

Stress! Stress! Under Pressure!! It's time for a relief + makan trip. This time I am travelling with my uncle family and my family...come to a total of 12 of us. Hmm...we got to go with two MPV cars.

We depart early at 6:00am, as it is a public holiday, trying to avoid traffic jam as well as over-crowded restaurants. We first arrived at Bidor, a small town of Perak state. This small town is famous with the wife-biscuits (Low Poh P'eng) and little-chick-biscuits (Kai-Chai-P'eng). From our previous visit about 10 years ago, we also got to know a restaurant that is famous with their food.

But when we arrived there, it was already packed with lots of tourists. We don't want to wait for the long queue, and we headed to the next door which has less people.

This restaurant is clean and nice that serve Wan Tan Mee (Fine Noodles serves with Meat Dumpling and Slices of BBQ Pork). Not bad, not bad.

Do give it a try when you are at Bidor. Simple direction, turn LEFT after the toll, when you reach a "Y" junction, follow the RIGHT way, and the shop is on your RIGHT side. Sorry, I forgot to take the photo of the shop front.

Starbucks... a place to be, my friendly place.

It has been a long while, maybe for one year or more that I have not hang out at my usual place, Starbucks on Sundays. For friends that always keep in touch with me will know that I will always goto Starbucks on Sundays with my friend, Nigel to do my work, to write my blog, to edit photo, to surf net, to relax.

It is a great place. You’ll get a nice, comfort couch, breezing fresh air, aromatic coffee, mouth-watering pastries. Today, my friend was asking me to ta-pau (ta-pau=take away order) the ice-blended mocha from The Coffee-Bean Cafe. And I got pause and think, where do we have Coffee-Bean Cafe in Petaling Jaya (it is bankcrupted? Starbucks has conquered them?). So, I drove to my usual Starbucks place as an alternative.

Above: Starbucks @ 32 Square, Malaysia.

Here comes the story, when I arrived, I walked in from the main entrance. The people at the counter greet me aloud. And one of the senior staff (maybe is the manager) can still recall me. We had a short chat then, and I am now going back there more often as before.

Above: Starbucks - Mouth-watering pastries, breads.

This makes me think of a classic TV-pilot / sitcom, Cheers. It’s featured a pub cum restaurant by the name “Cheers” that have a similar atmosphere of the Starbucks today. What a great feelings. I hope I can have such a wonderful working place as my own business, which is less stressful, easy-going, peaceful and friendly.

As the theme song for the TV-show “Cheers” sang, “A place where everybody know your name!!”

Keep it Up!!! Will continue to support.


P/S: anyone want to join me at Starbucks on Sundays?


 

My new pair of Crocs...finally

Pain! Pain! Pricey! I don’t understand why the original authentic Crocs are so costly? what makes it so different from the others, such as the Asadi? looks similar to me, and quite obvious that they are made of the same material.

Today, my long-run Crocodile brands leather Rugged Shoes is starting to thread-off again after repair few times. As I always wanted to get a Crocs shoe, this is like having an excuse for me to get one now. So I have made a plan to go for a sneak at the store after dinner.

Went to Ikano Power Center at Mutiara Damansara with friends. Found a decent designed Crocs that I can wear for my work, as well as my leisure day. Look at the price tag…and I am shaking my head while my heart is feeling a minor pain. My brain keep on asking to myself, should I buy it or not, do I really have to buy such a pricey shoes? OMG!

One of my friend commented that the shoes is ok to me and saying I should buy it, so supportive. Therefore, here is my shoes…

My Crocs Crostrail (Black)

Anyway, I don’t do shopping very often. I only have one pair of shoes, that is for my work, my outing and everything. So, WHAT THE HECK? This is already enough to convinced myself to have it. (i don’t even have a slippers/sandals)

RM189.00 for 365 days ….ok-lah



P/S: can anyone tell me what are the differences from the original Crocs to the alternative? pls help…